Dianthus plant named ‘Black Cherry Wild’

ABSTRACT

The new and distinct cultivar of perennial Carnation or Pinks,  Dianthus  plant named ‘Black Cherry Wild’ with long-blooming, highly double flowers with fragrant highly double flowers, petals with a deep crimson outer surface surrounded on the outside by a lighter rose pink perimeter.  Dianthus  ‘Black Cherry Wild’ is tolerant of high temperatures and resists center dying out.

Botanical denomination: Dianthus hybrid.

Cultivar designation: ‘Black Cherry Wild’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the new and distinct cultivar ofDianthus or Pinks from the genus Dianthus and given the cultivar name‘Black Cherry Wild’. The new plant was the result of an intentionalcross in May of 2006 by Kevin A. Hurd between ‘Double Spotty’ U.S. PlantPat. No. 13,884 as the seed parent and ‘Red Dwarf’ U.S. Plant Pat. No.14,437 (more often known as ‘Eastern Star’) as the pollen parent. Thenew hybrid was first isolated from trials at a nursery in Zeeland, Mich.during the summer of 2007. Dianthus ‘Black Cherry Wild’ has beenasexually propagated at the same nursery in Zeeland, Mich. usingtraditional shoot tip cutting procedures and found to reproduce plantsthat are identical and exhibit all the characteristics of the originalplant.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has not been evaluated under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary with variations inenvironment including: growing temperature, available sunlight,nutrients, water, etc. without a change in the genotype of the plant.The new plant is distinct from its parents and all other Dianthus knownto the applicant in the following combined traits:

-   -   1. Double flowers with high petal counts.    -   2. High heat tolerance.    -   3. Floriferous habit.    -   4. Vigorous growth and excellent habit.    -   5. Compact, distinctly blue-green foliage.

Table of Dianthus Comparisons Flower Flower Flower Cultivar colorpattern size ‘Apple Slice’ pink dark wine 4.5 cm application No. edgeand rim 12/462,743 ‘Black Cherry Wild’ burgundy solid 4.0 cm applicationNo. 12/462,742 ‘Coconut Punch’ white burgundy edge 3.5 cm applicationNo. with white rim 12/462,744 ‘Double Spotty’ burgundy white picotee 4.0cm U.S. Plant Pat. No. edge and 13,884 white spots ‘Dragon Fruit’fuchsia red jagged 3.5 cm application No. pink purple bar 12/462,745‘Pomegranate Kiss’ burgundy Irregular pink 3.2 cm application No.splashing on 12/462,746 margin or center ‘Cranberry Ice’ pink dark wine3.3 cm U.S. Plant Pat. No. edge and rim 18,342 ‘Devon Siskin’ light pinkmagenta edge 4.0 cm U.S. Plant Pat. No. with burgundy 14,377 base‘Feuerhexe’ (not pink solid patented) ‘Devon Xera’ red crimson eye 3.0cm U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,895 Red Dwarf’ red crimson eye 3.5 cm U.S.Plant Pat. No. 14,437 ‘Sangria Splash’ fuchsia crimson ring 3.0 cmapplication No. pink with pink 12/462,741 splashing and center ‘SpangledStar’ scarlet small white 4.0 cm U.S. Plant Pat. No. red spots and13,029 white picotee edge Plant Petal Petal height in Cultivar margin #flower ‘Apple Slice’ application dark wine 20 to 24 22 cm No. 12/462,743margin ‘Black Cherry Wild’ light rose 16 to 22 cm application No. margin20  12/462,742 ‘Coconut Punch’ reddish 14 to 28 cm application No.purple 30  12/462,744 margin ‘Double Spotty’ white 15 to 17 to U.S.Plant Pat. No. 20  30 cm 13,884 ‘Dragon Fruit’ application self 14 to 2220 cm No. 12/462,745 ‘Pomegranate Kiss’ irregular 16 to 22 16 cmapplication No. pink 12/462,746 splashing ‘Cranberry Ice’ dark wine 5 20to U.S. Plant Pat. No. margin 25 cm 18,342 ‘Devon Siskin’ magenta 5 10cm U.S. Plant Pat. No. edge 14,377 ‘Feuerhexe’ (not self 5 10 topatented) 12 cm ‘Devon Xera’ self 5 15 to U.S. Plant Pat. No. 20 cm14,895 Red Dwarf’ U.S. Plant Pat. self 5 20 to No. 14,437 25 cm ‘SangriaSplash’ crimson 5 30 cm application No. with 12/462,741 pink splashing‘Spangled Star’ white 5 17 to U.S. Plant Pat. No. picotee 22 cm 13,029edge

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The photographs of the new invention demonstrate the overall appearanceof the plant including the unique traits. The colors are as accurate asreasonably possible with color reproductions. Some slight variation ofcolor may occur as a result of lighting quality, intensity, wavelength,direction or reflection.

FIG. 1 shows a two-year old new plant in flower.

FIG. 2 shows a close-up of the flower and bud.

FIG. 3 shows the dissected flower of the new plant together with capsuleand seeds.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following detailed description of the new plant is based onobservations of two-year old plants in open-field, full-sun conditionsin Zeeland, Mich. with supplemental watering, light additions offertilizer and free of other plant growth regulators. All color usage isin reference to the 2001 edition of The Royal Horticultural Colour Chartexcept where common dictionary terms are used.

-   Botanical classification: Dianthus hybrid;-   Parentage: ‘Double Spotty’ (female) times ‘Eastern Star’ (male);-   Plant description:    -   -   Habit.—Cespitose, herbaceous, evergreen perennial; stems            proximally branched, erect; height of foliage about 15 cm            and 28 cm across; height in flower about 22 cm; Root system;            fibrous.-   Foliage:    -   -   Leaf type.—Simple, linear, opposite, decussate, sessile,            glabrous, glaucous on adaxial and adaxial; acute apex; base            decurrent, adpressed along stem and somewhat perfoliate; no            fragrance detected.        -   Leaf dimensions.—About 5 cm long and 3 mm wide.        -   Leaf color.—Nearest RHS 122A adaxial and abaxial sides.        -   Venation.—Finely reticulate, coloration same as that of leaf            top and bottom.        -   Stems.—Erect to arching, terete, glabrous, glaucous,            proximally branching at 2 to 3 nodes.        -   Stem size.—About 22 cm long and 3 mm wide at base.        -   Stem color.—Nearest RHS 122A.        -   Branching.—Numerous from lower leaf axils; about 130 per            plant.        -   Nodes.—4 mm across, RHS N134A.        -   Internodes.—4 to 4.5 cm apart.-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Type.—Terminal, cymose, erect.        -   Flowers per stem.—Usually 3 to 4.-   Flowers:    -   -   Type.—Salviform, completely double, symmetrical.        -   Dimension.—3.5 cm to 4.0 cm across and extending 1.7 cm            above calyx.        -   Flower bud shape.—Rhomboid to terete.        -   Flower bud size one day prior to opening.—About 2 cm long            and 1 cm wide.        -   Flower bud color.—Glaucous, more gray than RHS N138C and            without anthocyanin patches.        -   Flower period.—Starting early June and after a 2 week rest            continuing until frost.        -   Flower lasting quality.—About one week on or off the plant.        -   Flower fragrance.—Light, distinctly spicy, clove-like.        -   Petals.—16 to 20, consisting of a rounded blade or limb and            a claw (enclosed completely within the calyx), obovate, apex            dentate with dentations 3 to 4 mm deep, bearded with minute            hairs mostly on the center of the adaxial surface, bent            outwardly to nearly a ninety degree angle; dark wine-colored            on adaxial side about 5 mm thick.        -   Dimension.—Variable, to 3.2 cm long including claw and limb;            larger petal limb to 1.2 cm across and 1.0 cm long, smaller            limbs to 3 mm across and 5 mm long; claws range from 1.7 cm            to 2.4 cm long and 2 mm to 4 mm wide about 3 mm from limb.        -   Color.—Adaxial limb: RHS N79A with a 3 to 4 mm portion on            both surfaces bleeding into the claw region of RHS N66D,            with a lighter rose color nearest RHS 65B around the            perimeter; abaxial limb: (showing through from adaxial side)            closest to RHS 73D; claw: between RHS 145B and RHS 145C both            sides.        -   Calyx.—Glabrous, glaucous, five-toothed corolla tube fused            in proximal 1.0 cm; about 1.8 cm long and 0.7 cm in            diameter; RHS 147D with anthocyanin tinting between RHS 187B            and RHS N187B.        -   Peduncle.—Glabrous, glaucous, terete, 22 cm long and 2 mm            diameter; RHS N138D.        -   Bracts.—Two, opposite, broadly obtuse with acute apex,            about8 mm long and 7.5 mm wide; RHS N138C in the center,            lighter than RHS 138D at base and margins.        -   Bracteoles.—Two, opposite, broadly obtuse with acute apex,            bases joined at stem; about 6 mm long and 4 mm wide;            glaucous, RHS N138C at apex and center, lighter than RHS            138D at base and margins.        -   Stipules.—None present.        -   Androecium.—Stamens 6, filaments variable in length from 1.2            to 1.8 cm long, less than 1 mm diameter; pale green lighter            than RHS 11D; anther oblong to 2.2 mm long and l mm wide,            RHS164B; pollen rare, pollen color RHS 11D.        -   Gynoecium.—Style split in two above ovary, pistil 2 cm long            and about 1 mm diameter, lighter than RHS 11D except for            distal 5 mm which are lighter than RHS 77D; stigma between            RHS 77C and RHS 77B.        -   Ovary.—Superior, spindle-shaped; 8 mm long and 3 mm wide;            nearest RHS 145C throughout.-   Seed: Seeds have not been observed;-   Growth rate: Vigorous, finishing from a 3 cm liner into a 15 cm in 6    to 8 weeks;-   Comparison varieties: In comparison to the two parents, the new    plant has a double, darker crimson petals with a fine lighter pink    edge emerging, and ‘Eastern Star’ has single lighter red flowers    with a darker red eye. Dianthus ‘Double Spotty’ has double flowers,    but the petals are much lighter and have large spots of near light    pink. The nearest know cultivar is ‘Valda Kitty’ U.S. Plant Pat. No.    13,872 which has lighter red adaxial petal surfaces and dark red    abaxial surfaces with no fragrance to the flower.-   Disease resistance: The new plant is resistant to center die out    from fungus or high temperatures. The plant grows best with adequate    moisture and well-drained soil, but is able to tolerate high    temperatures and some drought once established. Hardiness at least    from USDA zone 4 through zone 9.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of perennial Carnation or Pinks, Dianthus plant named ‘Black Cherry Wild’ as herein described and illustrated, with fragrant highly double flowers, petals with a deep crimson outer surface surrounded on the outside by a lighter rose pink perimeter, tolerant of high temperatures, resistant to center die out, and suitable as a garden ornamental, potted plant and for cut flower arrangements. 